In online booking for big events, it’s becoming common to open ticket sales many days before announcing the actual line-up. It usually begins with early bird tickets, which sell out very quickly, before higher rates are announced. Lollapalooza, the two-day mega-fest held in January at Mahalaxmi Race Course, did that, and is doing so again for its forthcoming edition. For days, fans are kept guessing about who is actually going to play, though they have already bought their tickets.
The same process is being followed by Mahindra Independence Rock, which came back last year at the Bayview Lawns in Mazgaon, after the previous edition in 2013. This year, it will be held at the same venue on November 4 and 5. While early bird tickets were announced on September 4, rates increased in the following day. The list of bands performing was declared on September 13, and the day-wise line-up on September 20.
Obviously, many people bought tickets before the bands were announced, paying different fares. Being ardent rock fans, they planned to attend the festival anyway, whether or not their favourites were slotted. A good number have been around since the glory August days at the earlier venue Rang Bhavan. What many didn’t expect was that, both days would actually cater to two different kinds of audiences, and that their taste would probably suit only one day.
Look at the day-wise list. The opening day has Bhayanak Maut, Gutslit, Nepalese group Underside and Girish & The Chronicles (GATC), comprising Sikkimese members based in Bengaluru. All these are out-and-out metal bands, which will attract fans of thrash metal, death metal and metalcore.
The second day comprises a mixed line-up, led by Delhi icons Parikrama, who have been I-Rock favourites since the mid-1990s. There is Carnatic progressive rock by Agam, folk-fusion by Swarathma and hip-hop/ neo-soul by T.Ill Apes, which will provide a completely different twist. For a blues tinge, there is Mama Tips & The Mamas Bois, floated by Tipriti Kharbangar, who sang for Shillong band Soulmate. Finally, Mumbai group Tough On Tobacco will be joined by horn players Bombay Brass to provide another tangent.
From this roll call, it’s evident that the core audience for Day 1 is totally different from that of Day 2. And even on the second evening, every band is not likely to be everyone’s cup of tea. The metal fan who has had a blast on the opening day may find the next day completely weird. And barring a few who have heard a lot about GATC vocalist Girish Pradhan’s extraordinary vocal skills and stage presence, the more traditional listener may wonder why he spent money to be exposed to some ‘noise’ on Day 1.
Considering that rock music is itself divided into so many sub-genres, scheduling a rock festival is tricky. Take metal, for instance. The website Musicianwave lists 25 types of metal, beginning with thrash metal and death metal, going on to symphonic, nu metal and folk metal to prog-metal, Gothic metal and metalcore. The older headbangers may go in for thrash metal (Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth, Anthrax), or even 1980s New Wave Of British Heavy Metal (Iron Maiden, Def Leppard, Saxon, Motorhead). Ask some of today’s young metalheads, and chances are that they will dismiss these bands as too ‘soft’.
Even under the larger umbrella of ‘classic rock’, there are many sub-genres, including hard rock, progressive rock, Southern rock, folk-rock, psychedelic rock, glam rock, guitar rock and Latin-rock. Each has its dedicated followers, and it’s not uncommon to find fans of different styles dismissing those who don’t agree with their ‘superior’ tastes.
This year’s I-Rock will thus cater to two broad classes – the metalheads and the non-metalheads. The former will be happy on Day 1, as last year, the only band that fell into their ambit was Bloodywood. The non-metalheads will have a varied but confusing choice on Day 2. Many will enjoy only one day though they paid for both. But with I-Rock, one never knows. A stand-out act may just create new fans, like Thaikuddam Bridge did last year. Rock on!
